Practical tips and easy iron-rich meal ideas for babies

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WHY DOES MY BABY NEED IRON?

Babies need lots of iron because they are growing so rapidly. In the first 12 months, their birth weight triples. Iron helps babies grow by carrying oxygen to every part of the body. It ensures they develop physically, is essential for brain development and their ability to learn, and helps them fight infection.

Which are the best sources of iron?Iron is found in a number of foods, including red meat. In general, the redder the meat, the higher the iron content.

But not all iron is the same. Haem iron (found in red meat, fish and poultry) is more easily absorbed, with about a quarter being used. Whereas only about 5% of non-haem iron (found in green vegetables, bread and cereals) is absorbed. Red meat can help increase the absorption of non-haem iron by up to four times. Vitamin C has a similar effect. Eating a combination of foods high in both haem and non-haem iron helps provide an iron-rich diet.

Haem Iron Foods(Easily Absorbed)

Excellent Sources

• Liver*, kidney• Lean beef, lambGood Sources

• Lean chicken, pork• Fish, including canned fish

*While liver is an excellent source of iron, it is also rich in vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for health, but too much can be harmful to babies. Limit liver to about 3 teaspoons (15 grams) a week.

When first introducing liver to your baby, keep a piece in the freezer and simply grate some into simmering, almost cooked vegetables before puréeing.

Non-Haem Iron Foods(Poorly Absorbed)

• Infant cereal with added iron, porridge**

• Peas, spinach, silverbeet, broccoli, cauliflower

• Dried apricots, prunes, other dried fruit, finely chopped**

• Baked beans, cooked dried beans, lentils, split peas

• Puha, taro leaves• Wholemeal bread (avoid

coarse, grainy types)** From 8 months

How much iron does my baby need?Your baby’s iron needs can be met with a combination of:

• Milk feeds• Cooked lean beef or lamb and

vegetables• Iron-fortified infant cereal with

fruit to increase iron absorption

How much food does my baby need?Babies tend to eat according to the amount they need. Every baby is unique; some days they will eat more than other days. Offer small portions of nutritious foods each day and trust your baby to decide how much to eat. Some babies will turn their head away when full.

A happy, contented baby, growing well, is the best sign your baby is getting all the nutrients they need.

Could my baby be iron def icient?If you can tick any of the boxes below, or are concerned about your baby’s iron level, talk to your doctor or Plunket nurse.

□ Recurrent infections □ Grumpy and irritable □ Tired and lethargic □ Difficulty sleeping □ Pale □ Feels the cold □ Reduced appetite □ Reduced weight gain □ Digestive problems

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Smooth Stagebabies around 6 monthsTo begin with, make your baby’s puréed foods very soft, smooth and moist. Purée cooked meat such as mince, casserole, steak, liver or kidney in a baby mouli or food processor. Mix with a little of baby’s milk to achieve a smooth consistency. Alternatively, purée cooked meat with vegetables (such as potato, pumpkin, carrot or kumara). Start by offering one or two teaspoons a day after a milk feed, using a small, shallow plastic teaspoon. Gradually increase the amount offered. If a new food is rejected, continue to offer it until it becomes familiar.

WHY ARE IRON-RICH FOODS SO IMPORTANT?For the first six months babies obtain all the iron they need from their own iron stores combined with their milk feeds. Although breast milk is quite low in iron, it is very well absorbed. Breast-fed babies rarely lack iron.

By around six months of age your baby’s iron stores are beginning to run out. Iron needs increase and are particularly high between six and nine months. At this time, a range of solid food must be introduced gradually. It is important these early foods are ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ sources of easily absorbed iron (see page 2), such as lean beef and lamb, to ensure iron needs are met.

Mashed Stagebabies 7 to 8 monthsIntroducing texture into your baby’s food encourages your baby to chew, developing muscles for speech. Purée/chop cooked meat and vegetables coarsely in a food processor.

YOUR BABY’S FOOD JOURNEY...

Chopped Stagebabies from 8 monthsBabies can be encouraged to feed themselves from around 8 months old. Begin offering solid food before milk feeds. Slice cooked meat into strips and serve with pasta pieces, or bread/toast fingers, and soft fruit and vegetable slices. Grilled lamb cutlets are good for teething gums, avoiding bones with sharp edges. Never leave your baby alone when eating.

Toddlers and Family Foodsaround 12 months Toddlers should be encouraged to eat family meals but they can be fussy. Some days they happily eat anything, other days they pick like sparrows. This is perfectly normal. Although not growing as fast as babies, toddlers are very active and still need plenty of iron. They often eat small meals, so ensure their food is nutritious and contains easily absorbed iron (see page 2). No single food provides all your toddler’s iron needs - variety is the key.

Meat Handling Tips• Always wash your hands thoroughly before preparing food and

after handling raw meat.• All utensils and chopping boards used for preparing raw meats

should be washed thoroughly after use, and before being used to prepare other foods.

• Store raw and cooked meats separately in the fridge, with raw meat on the bottom shelf.

• Put left-over meat into the fridge in a tightly covered container as quickly as possible. Discard all food kept at room temperature for over 2 hours.

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“ When we were rowing, we needed iron-rich beef and lamb to ensure we performed at our best. Now we’re helping Tom and Lucy do the same. Their favourite is beef mince and kumara; Tom needs it

pureed and Lucy loves it mashed!”

Caroline Meyer and Georgina Earl (née Evers-Swindell)

IRON-RICH RECIPES FOR YOU AND YOUR BABY

BEEF MINCE AND KUMARA

Adapting the family mealOnce your baby is comfortable eating red meat, you can begin preparing meals for your baby from the family meal.

Meals need to be bland for your baby, but flavours can be ‘revved’ up at the end of cooking for the rest of the family, as indicated in some of the following recipes.

Ingredients• 300 to 450g lean Quality Mark

beef mince • 1 cup peeled, grated kumara • 2 cups peeled, grated apple• 1 cup water

Method1. Put mince, apple and kumara

into a saucepan. Add water and bring slowly to the boil.

2. Simmer gently for about 45 minutes, stirring often, until reduced and thick but still moist.

3. Purée to a smooth consistency.

You may find it useful to cook a larger batch of puréed meals, such as this one, then freeze in small portions to use later. Purées can be frozen in an ice cube tray. When solid, transfer to a plastic bag, seal and return to the freezer.

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SHEPHERD’S PIE

Ingredients• 500g lean Quality Mark beef or

lamb mince• 1 Tbsp oil• 420g jar pasta sauce*• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped• 6 button mushrooms, sliced• 1 carrot, peeled and finely

chopped• 1 courgette and/or other

seasonal green vegetables, finely chopped

• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

Method1. Pre-heat oven to 180OC.

2. Brown mince in the oil in a hot pan, breaking the mince up into small pieces with the back of a spoon. This is best done in two batches.

3. Stir in pasta sauce* and vegetables except the potatoes.

4. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.

5. Boil the potatoes in unsalted water until tender. Drain and mash.

6. Spoon mixture into a pie dish and top with mashed potato.

7. Bake at 180OC for 15 minutes or until top is golden.

8. Serve with steamed green vegetables.

Smooth Stagebabies around 6 months*At this age, leave out the pasta sauce. Purée the meat and vegetable mixture. Mix with a little of baby’s milk if necessary to achieve a smooth consistency.

Mashed Stagebabies 7 to 8 monthsPurée the meat and vegetable mixture to a lumpy, mashed consistency so your baby can experience the different textures.

Chopped Stagebabies from 8 monthsServe the layers separately so your baby can experience different tastes and textures. Serve with some steamed green vegetables chopped into bite-sized pieces.

Toddlers and Family Foodsfrom 12 monthsFor additional flavours, add garlic or Worcestershire sauce once mince is cooked through. Serve in a small bowl with steamed green vegetables and encourage your toddler to eat with a fork.

*Leave this ingredient out for babies around 6 months - see Smooth Stage on opposite page for more details.

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MUSTARD ROAST BEEF

Ingredients• 600 - 800g piece of lean

Quality Mark beef such as whole sirloin, topside, bolar or chuck

• 2 Tbsp mild mustard• 2 Tbsp oil• 4 medium potatoes and/or

kumara, peeled and quartered• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into

chunks• 2 leeks or other seasonal

vegetables, cut into chunks

Method1. Place the beef on a rack in a

roasting dish. Roast in a pre-heated oven at 180OC for 45 minutes.

2. Remove from the oven and spread the mustard over the top of the beef.

3. Toss the vegetables in the oil and scatter around the beef. Return to the oven for a further 45 minutes or until the meat is tender and the vegetables cooked. Remove from the oven and allow the meat to stand for 10 minutes before carving. Place the vegetables in the oven at 100OC to keep warm.

4. Serve the roast beef thinly sliced with the vegetables.

Smooth Stagebabies around 6 monthsTake a selection of the meat, potato and vegetables and purée to a smooth paste. If a little dry, moisten with baby’s milk or some meat juices from the pan.

Mashed Stagebabies 7 to 8 monthsTake a selection of the meat, potato and vegetables and purée to a lumpy, mashed consistency.

Chopped Stagebabies from 8 monthsCut the meat and vegetables into small bite-sized pieces or give the vegetables as finger food.

Toddlers and Family Foodsfrom 12 monthsCut up the meat and vegetables and encourage your toddler to eat with a fork.

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CASSEROLE LAMB

Ingredients• 500g lean diced Quality Mark

lamb • 1 tsp oil• 1½ cups reduced-salt beef

or vegetable stock or ½ tsp reduced-salt stock powder to 1½ cups water

• 1 small potato, peeled and diced

• ½ cup cauliflower, diced• ¼ cup frozen peas

Method1. Heat the oil in a large frying

pan and brown the lamb. Add the stock, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Simmer gently to ensure the meat remains tender.

2. Add the potato and cook a further 30 minutes before adding the cauliflower. Cook until the vegetables are tender.

3. Add the peas and heat through. Total cooking time is approximately 1½ hours.

4. Serve with rice.

Smooth Stagebabies around 6 monthsPurée the meat and vegetable mixture. Mix with a little of baby’s milk if necessary to achieve a smooth consistency.

Mashed Stagebabies 7 to 8 monthsPurée the meat, vegetables and rice together to a lumpy, mashed consistency.

Chopped Stagebabies from 8 monthsCut the meat and vegetables into smaller pieces and serve them separately so your baby can begin to distinguish different tastes and textures.

Toddlers and Family Foodsfrom 12 monthsWhen browning the lamb, add a diced onion. Add 1 tsp of curry paste and 2 Tbsp sultanas with the stock. Cut up sultanas as necessary.

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MEATY HOT POT

Ingredients• 500g lean diced Quality Mark

beef or lamb casserole meat such as beef chuck, blade steak or boneless lamb

• 420g can baked beans • ½ small swede or kumara,

peeled and cubed • 2 carrots, peeled and

chopped • 1 onion, peeled and

chopped* • 2 Tbsp tomato purée*• 1¼ cups water • 2 large potatoes, peeled and

thinly sliced • 1 tsp oil

Method1. Pre-heat the oven to 180OC.

2. In a large casserole dish, mix together the meat, beans, swede or kumara, carrots, onion* and tomato purée*.

3. Stir the water into the casserole mix.

4. Cover and cook at 180OC for ½ hour.

5. Remove the casserole from the oven and top with sliced potatoes, brushed with oil.

6. Return to the oven, uncovered for 1 hour. Serve with seasonal vegetables.

Smooth Stagebabies around 6 months*Leave out the tomato purée and reduce the amount of onion until your baby is familiar with the flavour. Purée the meat and vegetables. Mix with a little of baby’s milk if necessary to achieve a smooth consistency.

Mashed Stagebabies 7 to 8 months*Leave out the tomato purée. Purée the meat and vegetables to a lumpy, mashed consistency.

Chopped Stagebabies from 8 monthsChop up the large pieces of meat and vegetables into bite-sized pieces and serve separately so your baby can experience different tastes and textures.

Toddlers and Family Foodsfrom 12 monthsCut up the meat and vegetables as necessary, encouraging your toddler to use a fork.

*Leave these ingredients out for babies around 6 -8 months - see Smooth and Mashed Stages on opposite page for more details.

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MOROCCAN DICED LAMB

Ingredients• 500g lean diced Quality Mark

lamb • 1 Tbsp oil • 1 onion, peeled and diced* • ½ tsp ground cumin* • ½ tsp paprika* • 1 carrot, peeled and diced • 12 dried apricots, diced • 300g can chickpeas • 1 cup reduced-salt beef stock

or ½ tsp reduced-salt beef stock powder to 1 cup water

Method1. Pre-heat oven to 160OC.

2. Heat oil in a frying pan and brown diced lamb well. Place in a casserole dish.

3. Add the onion*, cumin* and paprika* to the pan and cook in the residue oil until lightly brown. Scatter over the lamb.

4. Add carrots, apricots, chickpeas (including liquid from the can) and stock.

5. Place casserole dish in oven and cook at 160OC for approximately 1½ hours until the lamb is tender.

6. Serve with seasonal vegetables and mashed potato or couscous.

Smooth Stagebabies around 6 months*To begin with you may need to reduce the amount of spices and onion until your baby is familiar with the flavours. Purée the meat and vegetable mixture. Mix with a little of baby’s milk if necessary to achieve a smooth consistency.

Mashed Stagebabies 7 to 8 monthsPurée the meat and vegetables into a lumpy, mashed consistency so your baby can experience the different textures.

Chopped Stagebabies from 8 monthsChop up any large pieces of meat and serve with mashed potato and chopped vegetables.

Toddlers and Family Foodsfrom 12 monthsChop up any large pieces of meat as necessary. Serve with couscous or flat bread as an alternative to potato.

*Reduce the amount of these ingredients for babies around 6 months - see Smooth Stage on opposite page for more details.

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*AGE* IRON STATUS FOOD TEXTURE FOOD NEEDS SPECIAL NOTESBi

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6 m

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s Good iron stores at birth Liquid Milk feeds only Don’t introduce cows’ milk or solids.

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Baby’s iron stores are diminishing Puréed, soft and smooth (see page 4)

When ready, at around 6 months, start to introduce slowly:

• Iron-fortified infant cereal• Puréed fruit without skin, pips or seeds, cooked to

soften if necessary, eg apple, pear, ripe banana, apricot, melon, plums

• Puréed, cooked, peeled vegetables, eg potato, kumara, carrot, pumpkin, broccoli, cauliflower, parsnips, taro, puha, capsicum, raw avocado

• Puréed, cooked meats, eg lamb, beef, pork, liver, kidney, chicken, fish

• Puréed, cooked legumes, eg baked beans, lentils

Offer solids after milk feeds. Start with ½ - 2 teaspoons of new foods, one at a time.

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Baby has high iron needs Puréed, minced, finely chopped or mashed (see page 4)

Increase the variety of foods slowly with:

• Cooked and mashed egg• Soy foods, eg tofu, temph• Yoghurt, cooked milk puddings, cheese• Well-cooked finely chopped pasta and noodles• Rusks, crackers, bread and toast

Offer solids after milk feeds. 2 tablespoons to ½ cup, 2-3 times/day increasing to 3-4 meals/day plus 1-2 snacks as required.

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Baby has high iron needs Chopped finger foods, wedges, slices or strips (see page 5)

Introduce slowly:

• Shellfish and other seafood• Smooth peanut butter• Salad vegetables, eg tomatoes, cucumber• Soft raw fruits, eg orange, kiwifruit, pineapple,

berry fruits• Breakfast cereals, eg breakfast biscuits, porridge,

infant muesli

Offer solids before milk feeds.

Leave until after 12 months:

• Whole cows’ milk as a main drink

• Wholegrain muesli, rye cereals, honey

*Age of introduction provided as a guide only. Reference: Ministry of Health (2008). Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Infants and Toddlers (Aged 0-2).

For more information about iron and health and/or recipes please contact: Beef + Lamb New Zealand Inc

Freephone 0800 733 466 or visit www.beeflambnz.co.nz

For hundreds of nutritious recipes the whole family will enjoy visit www.recipes.co.nz

Acknowledgements: Food and prop styling: Sarah Swain; Photography: Melanie Jenkins; Props courtesy of The Homestore Milford, Living and Giving Albany,

Freedom Wairau Park, Auckland.

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Updated July 2012